Life is hard 😘

Mixed emotions

He stood and looked at his ready to rent out, very tidy flat and smiled. Connie slipped her arms around his waist and kissed his neck gently and he turned around, enveloping her into his arms tightly. They stayed like that for a few minutes and she placed her hand on his cheek, moving so she could kiss him gently.

"Come on, let's go home," she told him and he found he couldn't wipe the smile from his face.

"Pizza," Hollie squealed and Connie and Grace laughed, before Connie called Jacob down from where he was unpacking. He'd been surprised, she'd cleared out a lot of space and he found there was more than enough room for his things.

"Me and Grace have a present for you," Hollie smiled, "it's nothing big but..."

Jacob accepted the nearly wrapped present and Connie watched them fondly,

"Oh girls..." He smiled, hugging them

both,

"We're glad you're living with us," Grace told him, before shrugging, "we thought this was nice."

He ran his hand over the photograph and smiled, watching how Connie smiled.

The photograph in the frame was one Hollie had taken a few days before where Connie and Grace had fallen asleep next to where Jacob and Hollie were cuddled up.

"I love it," he smiled, watching as Connie kissed their heads as they tucked into the pizza.

She slipped her arm around his waist and he ran his hand through her hair,

"That was their idea, I had no idea."

"We look happy there don't we," he smiled, looking at the picture as she nodded,

"We're all happy... Because of you,"

He shook his head, "no, you're happy because you're a wonderful mother and you and Sam have bought those girls up wonderfully... I'm just..."

"Wonderful," she told him honestly and he kissed her forehead, holding her tightly, "now, how about we look at some holidays."

She watched how he helped Grace patiently with her biology homework before Hollie slipped her hand into hers and lead her upstairs.

Every now and again, Hollie missed her dad and would lead Connie into her room so she could curl up with her mum and sleep.

"You missing dad baby?" She asked,

Hollie shrugged, "I love Jacob," she admitted, "and sometimes I feel bad that I love him, because what if dad thinks I don't love him anymore,"

Connie moved so she lay on Hollies bed and smiled as her daughter curled into her. Connie ran her hand through her hair, "you know, sometimes I feel that way too... But your dad would be happy Hollie... All he wants is that you girls are happy... And he liked Jacob, and he wanted him to look after us,"

"Hey... Hey... Don't cry sweetheart," she soothed,

"I miss him mum,"

"Me too," Connie whispered, "but he will always be with us remember,"

Hollie nodded, "a girl at school today was saying how she hates her dad... She always fights with him... And I was jealous mum... She gets to see her dad when I can't ever see mine again,"

Connie felt the tears rolling down her own cheeks and she heard Grace enter the room before she too, lay beside Connie, reaching over and squeezing her sisters hand.

"When you're sad, I feel sad too," Grace whispered and Connie nodded, "you girls are wonderful, you know that don't you?"

Grace smiled, "not as wonderful as you mum."

Connie waited until they fell asleep before she slipped out gently from underneath them. She was all too aware Jacob was alone, and she always felt guilty when she missed Sam.

She knocked on the bathroom door and removed her clothes before she slipped into the bath behind him. He leaned back against her and she ran her hands over his chest.

"It breaks my heart when they miss him," she admitted, before she kissed him neck. "And I sometimes feel guilty for how much I love you..."

He placed his hands over hers, "you are the most amazing mother, you know that?"

She kissed his neck softly, "I know sometimes this isn't easy on you either... But know that I love you with everything I have..."

He closed his eyes as her fingertips ran over his broad chest,

"And I you sweetcheeks," he told her, "and besides... Who needs easy."